Paterson Native Son and Firefighter, Michael Hall, Becomes City’s First Black Deputy Chief

With his wife, Jovana, their son, Jason, and his mother, Edith Holland, standing behind him, Hall, 46, raised his hand to take the oath of office and to embark upon the next step in an exemplary career that has spanned more than 23 years.

Without a doubt, he has stood the test of time and followed in the footsteps of other dedicated men and women who have dedicated their lives to the residents of Paterson since the City’s first fire protection company was organized in 1815 as a volunteer unit. Speaking before a room filled with friends, family and dozens of his fellow firefighters, Hall reflected on the day he joined the Fire Academy and admitted that in the beginning, he soon wondered – but only once – if he had made the right decision.

“I was dating Jovana, now my wife, back in 1999 who had an uncle who was a firefighter,” Hall said. “But truthfully, growing up, I wasn’t the kind of kid who ever considered becoming a firefighter. Before joining the department, I was a college student studying computers. For some reason, Jovana’s uncle pulled me aside and suggested that I take the test for the Academy. He said, ‘you’re smart, cool, in good shape and you’ve never been in any trouble. You should go for it.’ So, I took the test.

“I was shocked when the call came two years later that out of over 600 people who had taken the test, I had made the top of the list. My first day at the Fire Academy was on Sept. 10, 2001, and it was pretty uneventful – a lot of paperwork. But the next day I quickly realized what being a firefighter was all about.

“Hundreds of firefighters – 343 people including other first responders – lost their lives on that tragic day, Sept. 11, 2001. It was only my second day on the job. At that point, I wanted out – I wanted to leave. But I stayed. In fact, everybody stayed. Now, 23 years later, most of us are still here, still doing this. I used the tragedy of that day, 9/11, as a source of inspiration. And I’m glad it worked out,” Hall said.

Hall’s mother, Edith Holland, and wife, Jovana Hall, both spoke to reporters during a joyful celebration which followed the ceremony. However, when Hall’s mother began to reflect on the accomplishments of her son and the significance of his historic promotion, she simply said, “I’m so proud. I’m so incredibly proud. But if I don’t shut up, I’m going to start crying.”

As jubilant accolades and mighty high fives from his colleagues dominated the scene and echoed in the caverns of City Hall, it was clear that the newly-promoted deputy chief – officially chief in charge of operations, is well-liked within the rank and file of the department. Hall said he’s proud that diversity serves as one of the many strengths of the Paterson Fire Department.

“When I started my career, I think we had about 10 Black firefighters,” he said. “The numbers were small but I’ve always felt welcome – like part of a family. “Fortunately, the City honored its commitment, following a Consent Decree in the early years of my career, and stepped up its recruitment efforts in local high schools, especially among Black and Hispanic youth. I’d estimate that the Department is now about 40% Black.”

While Hall has now made history, those familiar with the City of Paterson may recall that about a year ago, on Nov. 29, a similar glass ceiling was shattered in the fire department with the promotion of Deputy Chief Alejandro Alicea – a 30-year veteran who became the first Hispanic assistant fire chief. More recently, Alicea achieved another “first, replacing former Paterson Fire Chief Brian McDermott several months ago as the head of the department.

Hall said he isn’t intimidated in his new role and doesn’t feel any added pressure because he is the first Black deputy chief. In fact, he emphasized that because he was born and raised in Paterson, he sees it as just another way to give back to the city he loves and to its citizens.

“I’m ready for the challenge of better equipping and training those committed to the job of public safety – keeping them safe in the many things they do – and keeping our communities safe as well,” Hall said.

“This is a great-paying job that allows you to take care of your family and has great benefits. In urban centers like Paterson, a lot of kids don’t have the money for college and they believe they don’t have much of a future. Sometimes, they get down on themselves. But they shouldn’t because they have options – like the fire department. All they need to be considered as a candidate for the Fire Academy is a driver’s license, a high school diploma or GED and a clean criminal record. It’s the kind of job that makes you proud to wear the uniform, proud to serve the community and proud to keep people safe.

“I can’t say that I’ve been perfect doing my job. But no one can say that I haven’t always tried to do the job the right way – the best I can. Moving forward, I want to continue to be a role model for little boys and girls here in Paterson and beyond. I want them to know that they can make a difference. I hope they’ll look at me and believe that if I could do it, they can too,” Hall said.